ABC SIGN PRODUCTS SE Frontage RoadDear Revdex.com, Fort Collins, CO 80525 9889FAX 401911/9/16 ABC Sign Products was contracted by a customer to build
a pole cover in May of This pole cover was built to common industry standardsOur Sales team went into depth with the customer to determine how the pole cover would be constructed via phone and email, and these details were specified in an order confirmation that was signed by the customer (please see attached)The product was built to those specifications.The customer came to pick up the pole cover, but stated they thought the product was to be constructed differently; they now requested a routed rectangle be made in the metal panels on both faces of the pole cover, and those openings would be backed with the acrylic panels (mounted to the inside surface rather than the outside surface of the faces)This was contrary to the specifications on the original order confirmation signed by the customerDespite his signature to the contrary, he requested that we rout the openings in the existing panels (after they had already been painted) and make new, larger replacement plastic panels, (including the lettering) and mount them to the inside surface of the face panels of the pole coverThis is a technique that is most often used when a sign is to be internally illuminatedIt was understood from the very beginning this was to be a non-illuminated pole cover.
In an attempt to satisfy this customer (and without regard to what was originally agreed upon in writing by this customer), we routed an opening in both faces and manufactured replacement plastic panels with new lettering and attached them from behind using VHB (Very-High-Bond) tapeAll this work was done in an effort to satisfy the customer AT NO EXTRA COST to his companyAlso, per the customer's request we performed this "remanufacturing" of the pole cover/sign within a 24-hour time frame in an effort to please the customer and accommodate a tight deadline they had promised their customerThroughout this process, and from the very beginning it was communicated clearly that the plastic panels would be mounted to the metal panels using high-bond tapeThis tape is commonly used in our industry to bond dissimilar materials like metal and plastic, and has been used by our company for over years with zero failuresThe use of mechanical fasteners rather than the high bond tape was never discussed with or specified by the customerIn this instance; the time frame allowedf or the tape to cure before the product was transported to the job site was not as long as we would have preferred, but this was done at the request of the customer. In September of a warranty claim was requested by the customer on this jobThe customer never contacted us to indicate the inner plastic panels had de-laminated from the metal panels (probably resulting from heavy wind or vandalism)Instead, he hired a third-party company to repair the sign and sent us the bill, even though we never agreed to pay for the third-party's servicesWe were not informed of any product failure prior to those repairs, or given an opportunity to repair the sign using our own staff His warranty request accused us of poor workmanship without recognizing any responsibility on his part to communicate his desired specifications, or to allow sufficient time for the remanufacturing processHe claimed that the use of VHB tape was not in accordance with common industry practices (which is not true) and claimed we should have attached the plastic panels using mechanical fastenersFACT: mechanical fasteners were never specified by the customer on a drawing, verbally or in writingThe use of VHB Tape was clearly specified on our original order confirmation, which he signed (attached)The technical spec sheet on the High-Bond Tape we use is also attached heretoThe customer's signature acknowledges the plastic panels would be attached using VHB tapeIt was only after the wind damage or vandalism de-laminated the plastic panels that the customer raised concern about using VHB tape. In addition, this customer implied the failure occurred because we had not included louvered vents in constructing the pole coverThis type of vent is not commonly used in pole covers, and is generally used when signs include an internal lighting system to dissipate heat created by the lighting inside the sign cabinet, and not for the purpose of relieving pressure from windNo vents were requested by the customer during the quote process, or in any written or verbal communication with the customer, and were definitely not included in the description of work on the signed agreement. The primary factor in denying the warranty claim made by this customer was their failing to contact us regarding the plastic detaching from the metal panels, and never giving us an opportunity to fix the problem with our own peopleThe customer authorized a 3rd party to make the repairs and simply sent us an invoiceHe accused us of poor workmanship and demanded compensation The confrontational and unreasonable actions taken by this customer were unprofessional and inconsiderate, given the fact that we had re-manufactured the sign as they requested (after it was completely finished & built to the original specs), and performed that feat in a remarkable time frame AT ZERO ADDITIONAL COST TO THEMWe did this despite having built the sign to match the original specs acknowledged by this customer via his signature.
ABC Sign Products strives to provide excellent customer service and to build the very highest quality productsThe root of this issue is a lack of communicationAt least 50% of that responsibility belongs to the customerWe built this pole cover in compliance with industry standards and norms, and the customer failed to specify he wanted specific methods and techniques that were not communicated to usWe then reworked the pole cover to upgraded specifications not originally agree upon SOLELY AT OUR COST in an attempt to satisfy the client, despite unreasonable expectations and unclear communications on his partFinally the customer should have contacted us to address any quality issuesSending us an invoice is not acceptable, and we never implied or otherwise agreed we would pay for services which be contracted with a third partyABC Sign Products refuses to pay for these charges, and would prefer to have no future business dealings with this inexperienced and unprofessional client. Brian DB***, President; ABC Sign Products, Inc
Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
This is such a sad response from ABC Sign Products. This response might have been acceptable in the 1970's, but those times of trying to bully customers are over. I've ordered hundreds of signs from dozens of wholesale sign manufactures over the past 14 years. I know two facts that are true and indisputable. Never have I had a company that I contracted to build a sign cabinet try to get away with taping a piece of acrylic on the outside of the cabinet and never (and I repeat never!) have I had a face blow out of a sign. Whats even worse is the fact that they are trying to defend this practice and blame me for their mistakes. I stand by my original complaint, I received an inferior product from ABC Sign Products.
Regards,
[redacted]
ABC SIGN PRODUCTS SE Frontage RoadDear Revdex.com, Fort Collins, CO 80525 9889FAX 401911/9/16 ABC Sign Products was contracted by a customer to build
a pole cover in May of This pole cover was built to common industry standardsOur Sales team went into depth with the customer to determine how the pole cover would be constructed via phone and email, and these details were specified in an order confirmation that was signed by the customer (please see attached)The product was built to those specifications.The customer came to pick up the pole cover, but stated they thought the product was to be constructed differently; they now requested a routed rectangle be made in the metal panels on both faces of the pole cover, and those openings would be backed with the acrylic panels (mounted to the inside surface rather than the outside surface of the faces)This was contrary to the specifications on the original order confirmation signed by the customerDespite his signature to the contrary, he requested that we rout the openings in the existing panels (after they had already been painted) and make new, larger replacement plastic panels, (including the lettering) and mount them to the inside surface of the face panels of the pole coverThis is a technique that is most often used when a sign is to be internally illuminatedIt was understood from the very beginning this was to be a non-illuminated pole cover.
In an attempt to satisfy this customer (and without regard to what was originally agreed upon in writing by this customer), we routed an opening in both faces and manufactured replacement plastic panels with new lettering and attached them from behind using VHB (Very-High-Bond) tapeAll this work was done in an effort to satisfy the customer AT NO EXTRA COST to his companyAlso, per the customer's request we performed this "remanufacturing" of the pole cover/sign within a 24-hour time frame in an effort to please the customer and accommodate a tight deadline they had promised their customerThroughout this process, and from the very beginning it was communicated clearly that the plastic panels would be mounted to the metal panels using high-bond tapeThis tape is commonly used in our industry to bond dissimilar materials like metal and plastic, and has been used by our company for over years with zero failuresThe use of mechanical fasteners rather than the high bond tape was never discussed with or specified by the customerIn this instance; the time frame allowedf or the tape to cure before the product was transported to the job site was not as long as we would have preferred, but this was done at the request of the customer. In September of a warranty claim was requested by the customer on this jobThe customer never contacted us to indicate the inner plastic panels had de-laminated from the metal panels (probably resulting from heavy wind or vandalism)Instead, he hired a third-party company to repair the sign and sent us the bill, even though we never agreed to pay for the third-party's servicesWe were not informed of any product failure prior to those repairs, or given an opportunity to repair the sign using our own staff His warranty request accused us of poor workmanship without recognizing any responsibility on his part to communicate his desired specifications, or to allow sufficient time for the remanufacturing processHe claimed that the use of VHB tape was not in accordance with common industry practices (which is not true) and claimed we should have attached the plastic panels using mechanical fastenersFACT: mechanical fasteners were never specified by the customer on a drawing, verbally or in writingThe use of VHB Tape was clearly specified on our original order confirmation, which he signed (attached)The technical spec sheet on the High-Bond Tape we use is also attached heretoThe customer's signature acknowledges the plastic panels would be attached using VHB tapeIt was only after the wind damage or vandalism de-laminated the plastic panels that the customer raised concern about using VHB tape. In addition, this customer implied the failure occurred because we had not included louvered vents in constructing the pole coverThis type of vent is not commonly used in pole covers, and is generally used when signs include an internal lighting system to dissipate heat created by the lighting inside the sign cabinet, and not for the purpose of relieving pressure from windNo vents were requested by the customer during the quote process, or in any written or verbal communication with the customer, and were definitely not included in the description of work on the signed agreement. The primary factor in denying the warranty claim made by this customer was their failing to contact us regarding the plastic detaching from the metal panels, and never giving us an opportunity to fix the problem with our own peopleThe customer authorized a 3rd party to make the repairs and simply sent us an invoiceHe accused us of poor workmanship and demanded compensation The confrontational and unreasonable actions taken by this customer were unprofessional and inconsiderate, given the fact that we had re-manufactured the sign as they requested (after it was completely finished & built to the original specs), and performed that feat in a remarkable time frame AT ZERO ADDITIONAL COST TO THEMWe did this despite having built the sign to match the original specs acknowledged by this customer via his signature.
ABC Sign Products strives to provide excellent customer service and to build the very highest quality productsThe root of this issue is a lack of communicationAt least 50% of that responsibility belongs to the customerWe built this pole cover in compliance with industry standards and norms, and the customer failed to specify he wanted specific methods and techniques that were not communicated to usWe then reworked the pole cover to upgraded specifications not originally agree upon SOLELY AT OUR COST in an attempt to satisfy the client, despite unreasonable expectations and unclear communications on his partFinally the customer should have contacted us to address any quality issuesSending us an invoice is not acceptable, and we never implied or otherwise agreed we would pay for services which be contracted with a third partyABC Sign Products refuses to pay for these charges, and would prefer to have no future business dealings with this inexperienced and unprofessional client. Brian DB***, President; ABC Sign Products, Inc
Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
This is such a sad response from ABC Sign Products. This response might have been acceptable in the 1970's, but those times of trying to bully customers are over. I've ordered hundreds of signs from dozens of wholesale sign manufactures over the past 14 years. I know two facts that are true and indisputable. Never have I had a company that I contracted to build a sign cabinet try to get away with taping a piece of acrylic on the outside of the cabinet and never (and I repeat never!) have I had a face blow out of a sign. Whats even worse is the fact that they are trying to defend this practice and blame me for their mistakes. I stand by my original complaint, I received an inferior product from ABC Sign Products.
Regards,
[redacted]